NHS Vision Center Brochure

Fcgorleanestsdaeocstmolerfnrsoems

Your guide to laser eye correction

A service provided by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Thinking about vision correction?

Before you decide to have laser eye correction, it is
important that you have all the information you need so
that you can be sure it is right for you.

Laser eye surgery and clear lens replacement Whatever your reasons for considering vision
are forms of refractive vision correction. In correction, the potential benefits and risks
simple terms, these are procedures that aim should be considered carefully and we hope
to significantly improve your natural vision that this guide will help you to make an
and remove or reduce your dependency on informed decision on whether it is right for you.
glasses or contact lenses.
We would also recommend reading some
There are many reasons that people decide to excellent balanced guidance from the
explore the option of vision correction. These Royal College of Ophthalmologists which
often include: can be found here:
rcophth.ac.uk/patients/refractive-surgery
• Active Lifestyle - Some people find
spectacles or contact lenses interfere with We want you to make the right decision for you
their active lifestyle or sports participation. which is why our specialists will give you honest
advice without any pressure to have vision
• Occupation - In certain occupations, correction.
spectacle or contact lens wear is difficult or
frustrating. Some occupations may even Phone: (0114) 2711564
require a certain level of vision without Email: [email protected]
spectacles.
"Surgery has been life
• Comfort - Some patients find spectacles or changing for me as an
contact lenses uncomfortable and active and t female in my
annoying. sixties. I can now swim
and ski without the aid,
• Convenience - Being able to wake up and fuss and inconvenience
see without the need to search around for of using contact lenses
glasses, or struggle with contact lenses. and spectacles."

• Cost - The cumulative cost of replacing
spectacles and contact lenses can be
significant.

• Cosmetic - Some people prefer their
appearance without spectacles.

• Risks - Many contact lens wearers are
concerned about the risks of long term
regular contact lens wear.

01

02

Reasons to choose us

We are one of the leading UK Centres for vision
correction and you can be confident that you will
have access to the very latest laser eye treatments
provided by experienced NHS surgeons and a
specialist team who have a track record of delivering
excellent results and customer service.

We tailor our care to your individual needs. Our specialists will spend time with you to
discuss the right treatment for you after carefully reviewing your prescription, lifestyle,
and what you hope to achieve by having treatment.
Reasons to choose us
• Reliable, experienced surgeons with a national and international reputation.
• A track record of excellent treatment outcomes since opening in 2008.
• Patient safety and satisfaction at the heart of everything we do.
• The very latest laser eye surgery using state-of-the-art technology.
• An extended satisfaction pledge.
• Transparent pricing – no hidden extras.
• Personalised care planning.
• Personalised specialist advice on the appropriate treatment including

ReLEx® SMILE.
• A trusted NHS based clinic and service.

03

04

Which treatment is right for you?

The decision about which technique of vision correction is
right for you is only made after a thorough assessment and
discussion with your surgeon.

Free no obligation assessments Excellent outcomes and five
year aftercare package.
We offer two forms of free assessment.
One is an introductory assessment with an The final results of laser vision correction
optometrist, which will give you the are generally excellent. We work very
opportunity to find out more about laser hard to ensure that you are happy with
eye surgery and ask questions. your visual outcome and offer a five year
aftercare package following your surgery.
The other is a full assessment with a See terms and conditions.
Consultant surgeon, which will include an eye
examination and an opportunity to discuss We use state of the art lasers - Carl Zeiss
your suitability and the options available. Visumax femtosecond and Mel 90
excimer. We are one of a small number
There is no pressure to proceed with of centres in the UK able to offer the
surgery; it is simply your opportunity to find all-femtosecond treatment for
out if it is an option for you. short-sightedness known as ReLEx SMILE.
If you are short-sighted we strongly
Which laser treatment is best? recommend that you read about this
procedure and consider its benefits.
This depends on a range of factors such as
your prescription, lifestyle, age, hobbies, The following pages provide an overview
occupation and health. of available laser-eye surgery treatments
we offer.
In some cases, your surgeon may suggest a
treatment that they would consider your
best option, but ultimately the decision to
proceed with any particular treatment is
yours alone.

05

06

ReLEx-SMILE

ReLEx SMILE is a ground-breaking technique that offers laser
vision correction for short-sightedness.

SMILE uses the femtosecond laser to precisely With SMILE, there is also a less disruptive effect
separate layers of corneal tissue creating a on the corneal nerves which reduces the risk of
Lenticule (a very thin disc of tissue) which is post-operative dry eye symptoms.
then carefully removed by your surgeon
through a small (keyhole) incision to allow the All myopic (short-sighted) patients should at
cornea to re-shape and change its focussing least consider this latest treatment but please
power. be aware that the visual recovery following
SMILE can be slower, so your need to return to
You will be in the clinic for about an hour, and work and drive (particularly in the dark)
in the treatment room itself for about 20 immediately following surgery should be
minutes. After a post operative check and considered. Another possible disadvantage of
instruction on your post operative aftercare, SMILE is that if any enhancement procedure is
you will be able to go home. All ReLEx SMILE required, it will most likely need to be LASEK
patients are reviewed the next day and then (see section on LASEK).
periodically over the next year.
"Having the SmILE
All forms of laser refractive eye surgery have a surgery has absolutely
slight weakening effect on the cornea but changed my life. I no
because SMILE works at a deeper level of the longer rely on glasses or
cornea and has a far smaller circumferential contact lenses. The sta at
incision, this weakening effect is minimised, She eld Vision Centre
often making SMILE the treatment of choice were brilliant and made
for patients with bigger short sighted me feel at ease. I whole
prescriptions or thinner than average corneas. heartedly recommend
them."

07

LASEK

LASEK is sometimes considered the safest, simplest and least
invasive technique.

With LASEK, the surgeon simply loosens a very During the early post-operative period (12
thin superficial surface layer of the cornea hours) the eye may be a little bit painful whilst
known as the epithelium. the eye recovers, but we do provide eye drops
and you can use over the counter painkillers to
This thin layer, often described as being like a minimise symptoms as required. Patients are
supersensitive layer of cling film, is delicately seen at about five days post-operatively when
folded back and the excimer laser treatment is the contact lens is removed, and then you are
then applied to reshape the cornea. seen over the next few months.

Anaesthetic eye drops are used to numb the LASEK may be a procedure we recommend for
surface of your eye so the procedure is specific reasons. For example, if your cornea is
painless. We sometimes call this procedure a thinner than normal, or, you are at higher risk
‘surface treatment’ as the laser is applied very of trauma to the eye due to your occupation
close to the surface of the eye. The epithelium or any contact sports that you play.
(super thin surface layer) is then repositioned
and smoothed out and a temporary contact With LASEK you should plan at least 5 days off
lens placed over it to protect this surface layer work and perhaps even an additional week.
as it recovers and regenerates.

It can take two to four days before your vision
will be performing reasonably and it could be a
few weeks before your visual performance has
maximised. As with all our laser treatments, we
would start to judge your full visual outcome
about three months after your surgery.

08

LASIK

The LASIK procedure involves creating and lifting a thin flap
of corneal tissue and then using the excimer laser to
accurately reshape the cornea beneath.

Anaesthetic eye drops are used to numb the Following a post operative check and
surface of your eye so the procedure is instructions about post-operative care and
painless. The whole procedure typically takes follow-up, you will be free to go home. All
20-30 minutes for both eyes to be treated. patients who have had LASIK are seen the next
day by their surgeon, and then on several
The recovery process generally involves little occasions by one of our hospital employed
more than discomfort, watering and some opticians to monitor your progress and to
sensitivity to bright light. ensure you are satisfied with the outcome.

Despite the relative comfort of the procedure Lasik has the quickest visual recovery and is
and the speed of visual recovery, this is eye often suitable for both long and shortsighted
surgery, so we recommend that you have patients.
someone with you to ensure that you can get
home safely straight after your surgery. You "Sta are caring and there
should plan for a relaxed day following is no pressure to commit
treatment; lots of people have a sleep in the to surgery but I'm so glad
afternoon. that I did. Lasik has made
such a di erence to my
It is routine to do both eyes on the same day. life. Having full vision
again is priceless.."
So, from start to finish, you will perhaps be
with us for an hour or two. Treatment in the
laser room normally takes about 20 to 30
minutes if you are having both eyes treated.

09

Clear lens replacement

If you are over the age of 50 or over the age of 45 with a
really high prescription, some consideration must be given to
clear lens replacement surgery.

Insertion of these lenses is an intra-ocular procedure is usually quite comfortable. Many
procedure (within the eye), distinct from laser patients are surprised at how simple the
vision correction which is extra-ocular (outside procedure is and how comfortable the
the eye). recovery is. The initial recovery is often
described similarly to a standard LASIK
As we age, our natural lens continues to grow procedure (see LASIK section), although there
and change its shape which can alter our is variation between individuals.
prescription. Our natural lenses can become
yellowed and dull and, in older age, can Modern small-incision lens-surgery is very
develop cataracts. Clear lens replacement can precise and controlled. Although the risks are
prevent all of these natural aging changes and low, there is a higher risk than with laser eye
offer a long term, hopefully permanent visual surgery. The risks are similar to cataract surgery,
solution. which is a routinely performed procedure. Our
consultants are highly experienced NHS
You are awake during the procedure which cataract surgeons.
might take about 20 minutes per eye and the

"From my rst consultation my fears disappeared and I
le with con dence, knowing that I was in safe hands.
My eyesight now is better than ever."

10

Experienced surgeons

It is important that you are confident in the skill and
experience of your surgeon and feel comfortable putting your
faith in their abilities.

At Sheffield Vision Centre you will meet and certificate in refractive surgery awarded by the
be able to discuss your treatment options with college of Ophthalmologists.
a dedicated surgeon at your first visit. Our
experienced NHS surgeons are also always Both our surgeons are full time Consultant
available for advice and follow up consultations Ophthalmologists at the Royal Hallamshire
if required. Hospital. They are both anterior eye, corneal and
refractive surgery specialists. Their experience in
Both surgeons have been performing refractive the day to day management of corneal related
eye surgery for many years. They both hold the disorders makes them the ideal choice for safe
and effective vision correction surgery.

Mr Mathew Raynor Mr Matthew Edwards

MBChB FRCSEd CertLRS BSc FRCOphth CertLRS

Mr Mathew Raynor is a full-time Mr Matthew Edwards is a
Consultant Ophthalmologist full-time Consultant Opthalmic
specialising in the treatment of Surgeon at the Royal
the anterior segment of the eye. Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield,
A large part of his NHS workload is the specialising in ocular surface and corneal disease,
management of patients who have had corneal as well as refractive surgery.
transplants and along with Matthew Edwards he
runs the Regional Corneal Transplant Service. He is He is a Fellow of The Royal College of
highly experienced in a variety of vision correction Ophthalmologists and a member of the British
procedures including SMILE, LASIK, LASEK and Society of Refractive Surgery, European and
Clear Lens Replacement. American Societies of Cataract & Refractive
Surgery. He is an examiner for the Royal College
He is a current member of the European Society of of Ophthalmology.
Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, and his research
work has been presented, nationally and Matthew is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the
internationally. University of Sheffield and to date has published
fifteen articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Mr Mathew Raynor Mr Matthew Edwards
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

11

All-inclusive price - no hidden extras

The advertised cost of laser eye surgery can ReLEx® SMILE
be very confusing and sometimes simply
misleading. · The very latest 3rd generation laser
treatment from Carl Zeiss
We take a transparent and simple approach
to pricing - regardless of your prescription. · Reduced incidence of post-operative dry eye
· One laser, keyhole procedure
We will give you an all-inclusive fee which · Able to treat highly myopic prescriptions
covers the whole treatment and aftercare, · Rapid healing of keyhole incision
with no surcharges for extra investigations or
refinements in treatment. Easy payment All inclusive price £2,100 per eye.
plans that spread the cost of treatment are
also available. LASEK

Don’t get caught out! · One laser procedure
· Recommended for thinner corneas
There are a number of factors affecting price · Recommended if involved in high risk
that most prospective laser eye surgery
patients aren't aware of until they attend contact sports
their consultation. Our price includes:
All inclusive price £1,500 per eye.
Free wavefront analysis
LASIK
There is no additional cost for wavefront
analysis or treatment, if required. · Quickest visual recovery
· Suitable for both long and shortsightedness
All aftercare included · 28 million procedures carried out worldwide

No extra charge if an enhancement with over 20 years of historical evidence
procedure is required, or for post-operative
medications, supplementary eye drops or All inclusive price £1,900 per eye.
post-operative appointments. See terms and
conditions Lens Surgery

Interest free credit available · Refractive lens surgery can be more
appropriate for older patients or patients
We offer a number of finance options to help with very high refractive errors
you spread the cost such as a no deposit, 24
month interest free payment option. · Suitable for extreme prescriptions including
astigmatism
CALL 0114 271 1564 NOW TO
BOOK A FREE NO OBLIGATION · Option of free laser surgery enhancement to
CONSULTATION maximize visual performance

· Long lasting stability

Unlike laser eye surgery, it is normal practice to
treat one eye initially and then the following
eye usually a week or two later.

Price, depending on individual
requirements, £2,900 - £3,700 per eye.

We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, our Firm Reference Number is 763804.

12

Making an informed decision

Sheffield Vision Centre is managed by Sheffield Teaching
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and we take our
responsibility to our patients very seriously.

Refractive surgery can give excellent results information contained in the informed
and is very often described by patients as consent process and for your ultimate
“life changing.” satisfaction. The information given here is
generalised and is given in addition to the
However, as with any surgery, there is a small informed consent document that you will be
risk that complications can occur. If you issued once you have decided on an exact
decide to proceed with treatment you must surgical procedure. You will be asked to sign
understand and accept the small known this legal document with your surgeon on
risks that are an inevitable part of any the day of surgery having been given time to
surgical procedure and you must also read, digest and query its contents. If you
consider the very small possibility of being would like to see the informed consent
affected by unknown, unrecognised or document for a specific procedure at this
idiosyncratic (personalised) side effects which stage, please contact our reception team.
are impossible for us to predict and
document. Please make sure that you ask our surgeons
to explain anything that you are uncertain
You should consider your psychological about, either during your assessment or at
ability to cope in the unlikely event of any point in your decision-making process.
disappointment or long term post-operative
complication, and you should not agree to To book your free, no obligation
any surgical procedure unless you feel well consultation just contact the Sheffield
enough to undergo that treatment both Vision Centre team on:
physically and psychologically. You must give
yourself time to research your surgical Phone: (0114) 2711564
options and to absorb and consider all the Email: [email protected]
information that is available to you.

At Sheffield Vision Centre, our surgeons take
full personal responsibility for your care
throughout; they are responsible for the

13

14

Sheffield Vision Centre is owned and managed by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust. All profits are invested into supporting NHS patient care.